Remains belong to woman in 40s

POLICE believe the body found on Thursday in the wreckage of a truck crash south of Rockhampton belong to a New South Wales woman.

District Inspector Marcus Hill, from the Rockhampton Police Station,this morning said the woman, in her early 40s, was travelling in the truck and was known to the driver.

He said investigations overnight and information received from next of kin had helped with their progress.

But he said that positive identification, which would require DNA and dental records, could take several weeks.

On Thursday workers discovered human remains at the scene of a horrific truck accident near Rockhampton on Wednesday.

The Bruce Highway smash involving an army semi-trailer and B-double truck was, until yesterday, thought not to have been fatal.

Workers involved in the clean-up discovered the unidentified body about midday on Thursday.

On Wednesday, initial searches at the crash scene on the highway near Ulam Road in Bajool indicated all occupants of the vehicles had been accounted for.

Both vehicles had burst into flames, forcing police to set up a one-kilometre exclusion zone.

Investigations are continuing to identify the deceased.

Authorities hadn’t determined the gender or age late yesterday.

A spokesman from the Department of Defence confirmed that only two soldiers – who have been accounted for – were travelling in the army vehicle.

He said the two soldiers from the 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment, who were rescued from the Mack truck before it caught on fire, were expected to make a full recovery.

Both were in a stable condition in Rockhampton Hospital late yesterday.

The soldiers suffered lower limb injuries, while a 40-year-old man, who is believed to have been thrown from the other truck which was heading south, suffered multiple injuries including a fractured pelvis.

He was still in hospital yesterday in a stable condition.

Anyone who may have information about the deceased person’s identity or any other information that could assist police with their investigations can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 at any time of the day or night.

The Bruce Highway smash happened about 2.30pm, causing closures overnight on Wednesday to continue the extensive clean-up operation before the highway was reopened yesterday.

The crash scene was described by Rockhampton District Inspector Marcus Hill as a “mangled mess”.